From Newsgroup: rec.radio.amateur.misc
= Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2529 with a release date of
Friday, April 17th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. A return to production for Hy-Gain and
Cushcraft antennas. Hams in Hawaii activate for yet another big storm
-and darkness returns for Japan's solar-powered satellite. All this and
more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2529 comes your way
rightnow.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
HY-GAIN, CUSHCRAFT RETURN TO MARKET AFTER MFJ'S SALE
PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with news that two popular antenna
brands - formerly part of MFJ Enterprises - will be back on the market
soon under new ownership. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us what to
expectnext.
ANDY: Production of the Hy-gain and Cushcraft antennas and antenna
products popularized by MFJ Enterprises will be going forward under new ownership and in a new home in Linton, Indiana.
The Indiana-based manufacturing and engineering business, ITU
Corporation, has purchased both brands from Martin F. Jue, K5FLU,
president and founder of MFJ Enterprises. MFJ, which Martin founded in Starkville, Mississippi, halted production in the spring of 2024.
Manufacturing of the two brands will resume at a property that formerly
housed the National Guard Armory. The 15-acre site is being repurposed
for the production.
In a statement announcing the deal, Martin expressed confidence that
ITU would honor both brands' tradition of service to the amateur radio community. He said that he was certain that ITU's Dave and Kambi
Carpenter: [quote] "share our commitment to American-made quality and
customer satisfaction. They bring the engineering expertise and
manufacturing passion necessary to keep these products and these
trusted American high-performance antennas on towers worldwide for
years to come!" [Endquote] The Carpenters are also the owners of the electronics supply store TekShack.
ITU, which has its company headquarters in Duggar, Indiana, has also
purchased MFJ's designs, tooling, specialized equipment, manufacturing
and marketing rights for use in the Linton location. The company plans
to move all manufacturing operations there from Mississippi, a
transition that is expected to take about two months.
This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.
(LINTON NEWS, QRZ.COM FORUMS)
**
HAWAII'S RACES HAMS ACTIVATE FOR THIRD "KONA LOW" STORM
PAUL/ANCHOR: Already battered by flooding a month ago, Hawaii watched
as its emergency responders went back on the air for yet another storm,
as we hear from Randy Sly W4XJ.
RANDY: With memories still fresh from historic storm-related flooding
in March, hams in Hawaii were back on the air early this month after
the same kind of storm, known as a "kona low" struck the region.
The activation, which began on the 8th of April, focused on the same cooperation as before between city and county emergency communicators
and Hawaii's Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, or RACES,
operators. Staying at their radios overnight into the 9th of April, the
RACES hams ensured that traffic could be passed via voice and Winlink
email on both 2 metres and the HF bands. An additional overnight shift
carried the operation through to its conclusion on the 10th of April.
Throughout the activation, the hams were able to pass situational
awareness traffic and assist with response coordination, making the
necessary adjustments in response to varying conditions. When
interference disrupted their original channel, the hams had to QSY to a
new 80-metre frequency to keep long-range communication viable.
The storm, known as the Kona Low 3 weather system, came only weeks
after back-to-back Kona Low storms led to Hawaii being declared a
federal disaster area.
This is Randy Sly W4XJ.
(STACY HOLBROOK, KH6OWL; SF GATE; NEWSWEEK)
**
GRATITUDE ON THE AGENDA AT KENTUCKY CLUB'S MEETING
PAUL/ANCHOR: The winter storm that held much of the Quad State Region
and the Ohio Valley in its clutches in late January has long since
melted, but one of the more positive parts of that challenging
experience still remains: The gratitude that emergency responders in
Kentucky have for locals hams who stepped in to help. Kevin Trotman
N5PRE has that story.
KEVIN: Communicating under difficult circumstances is a big part of
what the Amateur Radio Community Services, KY4ARC, is all about.
Earlier this month, the hams were recognized for their readiness in the
January winter storm by Paintsville/Johnson County emergency management director Paul Burchett.
In a presentation of certificates at the club's monthly meeting,
Burchett said that club president, John Hager, N4KJU, and others
provided relays of critical information to other emergency managers at important times throughout the storm.
He told members of the club that [quote] "we greatly appreciate
everything you all do and everything you do for us." [endquote]
With the storm now simply a chapter in history, club members are still
ensuring the lines of communication stay open. Rain, shine, or whatever
the weather they continue to check in with one another every night at
10 P.M. local time.
This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.
(NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THE PAINTSVILLE HERALD)
**
MAN ARRESTED AFTER EMERGENCY-CHANNEL INTERFERENCE
PAUL/ANCHOR: A New York State man has been charged with interfering
with the radio channels used by emergency services in his city. Kent
Peterson KC0DGY has those details.
KENT: Police in central New York State have arrested a man and charged
him with interfering with emergency radio channels by transmitting
false statements over equipment he was unauthorized to use,
Local media reports said police stopped Chad Potter of Sherburne, New
York, on the 31st of March while he was driving in a vehicle equipped
with a number of radios tuned to frequencies where, according to
police, he has been disrupting emergency services.
A report on WBNG/News 12 said that an investigation into the reported
radio interference dates back to 2021. Police said that fire, EMS and law-enforcement operations were disrupted several times by his
messages. The WBNG news report described one transmission as [quote[
"shots fired, shots fired" [endquote] - which reportedly caused concern
and confusion among first-responders and the public.
On the day Potter was arrested on the radio-related charges, city
police had pulled him over in relation to a traffic stop. Investigators
said his vehicle was equipped with aftermarket lighting that made it
look like he was an emergency-responder. Police issued citation to him
for the lighting.
This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.
(WBNG/NEWS 12, KTV/CHANNEL 2)
**
FUJI-OSCAR29 LEAVING SUNLIGHT FOR NEW ECLIPSE PERIOD
PAUL/ANCHOR: The aging solar-powered satellite, Fuji-OSCAR29, made big
news in early March when its entry into a full-sunlight orbit woke the 30-year-old satellite from a long slumber. Well, guess what? It's nap
time again, as Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us.
JIM: If you've been enjoying continuous operation using the newly
awakened Fuji-OSCAR29 from Japan, you may want to make plans to take a
break. AMSAT News reports that on or around the 21st of April, the
satellite will return to a period of eclipse - in other words, no more sunlight. The Japan Amateur Radio League has estimated that the
satellite will remain without power - and go back to sleep and out of
service - for about a month. The satellite is fully dependent on its
solar panels since its onboard batteries have not worked in many years.
There is a bright spot in all of this - and we do mean bright in every
sense of the word: Full sunlight will become available to the satellite
again starting around the 20th of May. Hams can once again look forward
to more continuous operation through to the middle of November.
This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
(AMSAT NEWS)
**
NOMINATE NEWSLINE'S NEXT YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR
PAUL/ANCHOR Don't forget: You only have until the 31st of May to tell
us about a promising young amateur radio operator who could become our
next Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Young Ham of the Year. Nominees
must be licensed hams who are 18 years of age or younger and they must
reside in the continental United States.
Do you know a deserving candidate? Visit our website
-arnewsline-dot-org and find the nomination form under the awards tab.
Submit the documentation that tells us how your nominee has played an
important role, not just in the community of fellow amateurs but in the community at large.
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the EA5JAV repeater in Alicante, Spain, on Thursdays at 14:00 GMT+1.
Also heard on Allstar, Echolink, System Fusion, DMR, Peanut and
VoIPPABX.
**
CHICAGO CLUB'S POTA BECOMES IMPROMPTU SCOUTING EVENT
PAUL/ANCHOR: When is a ham club POTA not just a ham club POTA? When it
turns into an impromptu on-the-air outing for Scouts working to earn
their Radio Merit Badge. Jen DeSalvo W9TXJ was there.
JEN: It started as a club POTA at the historic Santa Fe Prairie Nature
Preserve just outside of Chicago City Limits.
DENNIS: We were just going to do a POTA event and one of the members is
a Scout leader and said "Well, hey, how about if I bring some Scouts?"
JEN: That member was Dennis Calderone, KC9DSP, president of the
Suburban Technical Amateur Radio System, referring to Tom Bosworth,
KE9JQ, who is both an amateur radio operator and active in Scouts for
nearly four decades. Tom is cub master for a local pack.
TOM: .....And I'm a Radio Merit Badge Counselor. We expected four or
five to show up and we have 35 here today.
JEN: That was for a Radio Merit Badge Class. Tom says it is inevitable
that kids will grow up to have careers in computers and technology.
TOM: This is the most basic technology you're going to have.
JEN: He said the first thing hs covered with the Scouts was to tell
them what radio is.... TOM: ....which isn't just ham radio. Obviously,
it's also broadcast radio. It's your garage-door opener.
JEN: The club set up five stations, giving the Scouts a hands-on
experience of how everything works. Club members set up stations for
FT8, CW/Morse Code.
[[NATS - CW]]
JEN: They used mobile units to hit their 2-meter repeater and operate
sideband voice.
TOM: One of the requirements is for them to talk to five other
stations. So when they're on sideband and when they're on FT8, they're
actually participating in the communication.
JEN: Dennis, the club's president, plans to host more events for local
Scouts to not only earn their Radio Merit Badge but to carry the torch
of ham radio.
DENNIS: We have to get the youth involved and pass it down generation
after generation - get them involved so that they can get into this
community to help people out.
This is Jen DeSalvo, W9TXJ.
**
SATELLITE ENTHUSIAST IN OMAN DEVELOPS TRACKING APP
PAUL/ANCHOR: An amateur radio operator in Oman is hoping to lead the
way for hams to have smoother, more reliable satellite tracking and
contacts with the help of his downloadable mobile app. John Williams
VK4JJW tells us more.
JOHN: It didn't take long for Yousuf Al Balushi, A46UNX, to find his
place in amateur radio right after becoming licensed in 2024: He was
almost immediately drawn to chasing satellites, often using his own
homebrew tools. Those challenging early days inspired him to create a
free satellite-tracking mobile app to help deliver the best
possibilities for successful contacts.
He gave it the name, Ham Satting. A member of the Royal Omani Amateur
Radio Society, he shares the app freely with amateurs around the world,
whether they are using its interactive map to track the ISS or to
search for one particular amateur satellite. The app's numerous
features include a built-in SSTV decoder that supports Robot 36/72 and
other modes.
He told the website, Muscat Daily, that this was his attempt at
creating a single place that integrated as many needed services as
possible without requiring the user to switch between several apps.
Finding all existing apps incomplete, he began his development work in
August of last year. HamSatting was formally released this past
January. He designed it for use by licensed hams, satellite chasers and
people involved in ARISS contacts -- in fact, tracking the ISS is a
default function. Individuals who want access to other satellites will
need to obtain a free API key from the satellite tracking service N2YO.
Yousuf said that the app is also useful for grid-square hunters working
toward awards such as VUCC. It can be downloaded for free from the
Apple and Android app stores. More details are available at unixeer dot
com (unixeer.com).
He told the website: [quote] "I hope the app will make satellite
communication easier and more enjoyable for the amateur radio
community." [endquote]
This is John Williams VK4JJW.
(AMSAT.ORG, DXZONE.COM, MUSCAT DAILY.COM)
**
STATIONS REGISTER FOR INT'L MARCONI DAY
PAUL/ANCHOR: It's a party and you're invited to RSVP. April 25th is International Marconi Day and amateurs around the world will be calling
CQ to honor the man who helped bring us wireless communication.
Register for the official event by visiting the website operated by the
Cornish Amateur Radio Club. You'll find it in the text version of this
week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org
The number of registered stations continues to grow - and you can see
the list as well on the same website. There are awards available for
shortwave listeners as well as hams. Visit the webite to see how to
qualify. Internet-assisted modes, such as DMR, Echolink and Digital
Voice modes are not eligible.
[DO NOT READ:
https://gx4crc.com/ ]
(CORNISH AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)
**
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DAY IS APRIL 18th
PAUL/ANCHOR: Speaking of special occasions and special events,
International Amateur Radio Day is the 18th of April. Don't forget to
get on the air!
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, Harry, JG7PSJ, will be calling QRZ as JD1BMH from Chichijima, IOTA Number AS-031, Ogasawara, from 26 April to 4 May. He
will operate CW, SSB and RTTY on 40-10 metres.
Aldir, PY1SAD, is on the air as 8R1TM from Guyana until the 10th of
May, operating CW, SSB and digital modes on 160-6 metres. He is also
operating via satellite from 23:00 to 03:00 UTC during the week, and
"full time" on weekends. Aldir is participating in the CQ MM DX Contest
on the 18th and 19th of April.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: UNIVERSITY STUDENTS 'OVER THE MOON' WITH THIS ASSIGNMENT
PAUL/ANCHOR: The early moon missions of the 1960s were most certainly awe-inspiring but for those of us who were perhaps young students here
on Earth at the time, they were as distant an experience to us as the
moon itself. Not so with Artemis II: With eight universities chosen by
NASA to track the Orion spacecraft via radio, the moon became a close
and almost palpable presence for the young. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB
explains.
RALPH: Yes, tracking a moon mission can be a personal experience - as
many of students on several university campuses discovered. In
Pennsylvania, Sawyer Mervis and Jake Wendt were up on a campus rooftop
in the early morning hours with a parabolic antenna and other
student-built equipment. They were collecting data for the US space
agency NASA from the 248,655-mile flight around the moon. The receiving
station had been a team project, with the Panther Amateur Radio Club at
the University of Pittsburgh receiving guidance and support from
faculty in various engineering departments.
Farther south, students at the American University in Washington, D.C.
tracked the Orion spacecraft with a radio dish about six and a half
feet wide installed by physics major Ankur Purao at a university-owned
property in nearby Warren, Virginia. Emotions ran high for everyone
toward the end of the 10-day mission. Suddenly the students were no
longer tasked with an assignment that called for tracking, collecting
data and measuring Doppler shift: Now all eyes were on the return of
the four crew members as their journey ended safely in a Pacific
splashdown.
That conclusion brought the Artemis 2 mission back home to all of them.
As American University first-year student Shafaq Yousaf said: [quote]:
"We're gonna be telling generations about this - and that we've played
a part in this." [endquote]
This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
(WTOP, CBS NEWS, INSTAGRAM, WTAE)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, AMSAT News; CBS News; David Behar,
K7DB; DXZone; 425DX News; Groups.io; KTV/CHANNEL 2; Linton News;
National Weather Service; Paintsville Herald; QRZ.com Forums; Muscat
Daily.com; Newsweek; Radio Society of Great Britain; shortwaveradio.de;
SF Gate; Stacy Holbrook, KH6OWL; WBNG/NEWS12; Wireless Institute of
Australia; WTAE; WTOP; and you our listeners, that's all from the
Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio
Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs
expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please
visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you
all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please
leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us.
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and
our news team worldwide, I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana
saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2026. Amateur Radio Newsline retains
ownership of its material even when retransmitted elsewhere. All rights
are reserved.
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